Deloitte: Decision Makers Understand the Importance of Energy Costs

A study from Deloitte of 600 “decision-makers responsible for energy management practices” found that there is an understanding that electricity costs are essential to “creating and maintaining [a] competitive advantage.”

The firm found that 79 percent of 600 decisions makers surveyed feel that reducing energy costs is essential to maintaining a competitive advantage and 77 percent consider reducing costs essential to financial competitiveness, according to The Wall Street Journal report on the study. The percentage who see energy costs as an essential element to financial competitiveness is down 4 percent from the 2014 edition of the study, the story said.

The bottom line is that businesses have bought into energy management, according to Marlene Motyka, the writer of the column and co-author of the study: “The findings suggest a big shift in that thoughtful deliberate energy consumption has permeated the business psyche, and companies, by and large, now consider energy management an essential aspect of corporate strategy.”

A chart illustrates the feelings of energy managers. It asked if energy management is a key element of corporate strategy. This year, 44 percent said yes (compared to 34 percent in 2014). An almost equal percentage — 37 percent this year, 38 percent last year — said that energy management is incorporated into their business unit strategy. This year, 16 percent said that an energy management strategy is in early development at their organization; 24 percent said so last year. Four percent said that their company had no formal management strategy both this year and last.